Safety match holder



2 sheets-sheet 1 W. BEYER SAFETY MATCH HOLDER Filed Feb. s, 1937 0 .7 9o 4 w Mu m: m.. 7*-. N 11m w .mv m

May 3,1938.

Patented May 3,V 1938 UNITED STATE sV PATENT oFEi-cE N My inventionrelates to a match folder or compact of the type in'which paper matchesare confined within a folded cardboard covering.

The primary object of my invention is to im- 5 prove the conventionaltype of match folder or compact now in general use so as to render itimpossible to strike a match taken from the folder Without completelyclosing the folder.

Many accidents have occurred with the regulaftion type of match foldernow in common use by reason of a spark projected from a match beingignited reaching the headed ends of a series of matches within thefolder, usually occasioned by reason of carelessness of the user leavingthe cover open.v Consequently a further object of my invention is 'to soconstruct the folder that the striking area is moved to a position'ofdisuse during the act of opening the folder; is so retained while thefolder is opened;

zo and is automatically returned to normal or striking position uponclosing of the cover..

A further object of my invention is to include such advantages withoutadding -to the number of parts embodied in a conventional match folder,

and without materially increasing the cost of such a folder.

With these andother objects in view to appear hereinafter, my inventionconsists in the novel features of construction and in the arrangementand combination of parts to be hereance with my invention. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section taken centrally through the same.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the matchsecuring end of the folderor compact, the same being enlarged and showing the cover portion ofthev casing partly withdrawn in the act of opening the same, and thestriking lid inthe act of beingA retracted soV as to be brought into aposition of disuse.

Fig. 5 is alsection similar to Fig. 4 showing the striking lid fullyretracted and retained in frictional contact withthe bottom of thecasing, and also showing the cover free of the striking 55 lid and aboutto be fully withdrawn to completely open the match folder and render thematches therein selectively accessible. Fig. 6 is a view of 'one of thesheets of matches. Fig. '1 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken 4online 1-1, Fig. 2. l

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross Vsection `through one-half the width of thefolder taken on line 8--8, Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a detached perspective view of the spacing insert used at thematch-securing or 1o striking end of the folder.

Fig. 10 is aface view of a portion of a blank of cardboard or other`sheet material modified from that shown in Fig. 1 and to be used as thecasing of a folder in accordance with the basic l! idea involved in myinventicn.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 3 on Van enlar-ged scale, showing theconstruction of thev butt end of the folder produced by the blank shownin Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a face View of a portion of a blank of cardboardor othersheet material showing a still `further modified form of blank employedinthe construction of my invention in association with a strikingmember. Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale,showing the construction of the butt end of the folder produced by theblank and striking member shown in Fig. 12.

AIn the main this folder has the appearance of ,o a common match folder,but the blank differs from those now in use in that one end thereof isreduced in width, as at I5, to form an insertion or lock flap. Theotherend of this blank is also reduced in width to form a reinforcingnap' I6 35 and it is provided near said end with a comparatively longtransverse slit or incision I1,` at opposite ends of which comparativelyshort longitudinal slits I8 are formed. The slits or incisions I1 and I8form a hinge ap or lid I 9, 40 one side of which is coated with asubstance 20 of the kind usually employed on match folders of this typeto serve as an abrasive for striking vmatches as they are successivelyremoved or torn from the folder. The coated surface of 45 the ap or lidI9 may be referred to as a striking area, and it is normally slightlybent-downwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, the bend being formed along thedotted line 2| in Fig. 1. If desired this flap or lid may be scoredalong the dotted line, preferably along the outer surface of the sheetof material employed.

This blank, when properly formedto shape, serves as the casing of thematch folder or compact, it being folded valong the dotted lines 22,

23, 24, 25, and 26. When thus folded, the portion 21 between theinsertion or lock flap I5 and the dotted line 22 serves as the cover ofthe match folder; the portion 28 between the dotted lines 23 and 24 asthe bottom; the portion 23 between the dotted lines 22 and 23 as theupper end wall; the portion 38 between the dotted lines 24 and 25 as thelower or butt end wall of the folder; and the portion extending from thedotted line 25 to the adjacent end of the blank as the securing portion3| whereby the matches within the folder are fastened in place. However,this securing portion is folded upon itself along the dotted line 2'6 toserve as the reinforcing nap I8.

Sheets of paper matches 32 overlie each other, usually two such sheetsbeing employed in an ordinary folder, and these are laid against thebottom 28 of the folder. These sheets of paper matches are constructedin the conventional manner by slitting them into narrow strips so as toform the matches 33 which are integral with a transversely continuousportion 34, and the free ends of which are headed in the usual manner,usually with a material which cannot be ignited except when frictionallyapplied over a striking surface, such as 20. These sheets of matchesdiffer however from the conventional match sheet, since they have neartheir lower ends slots or transversely elongated openings 35. Theunslitted ends of these match sheets lie in contact 'with the lower orbutt end wall of the folder, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, andsuperposed over the transversely slotted ends of these match sheets is aspacing insert 36 which comprises a cross member 31 and two end members38, thus forming a transversely-widened U-shaped insert or filleragainst which the securing portion of the blank is folded, with thereinforcing flap I6 folded underneath this securing portion so as to liebetween the two end members 38 of the spacing insert, as best shown inFigs. 4, 5, and 8.

'I'he slots or openings 35 in the match sheets and the space between theend members 38 of the spacing insert form a pocket 39 into which thestriking ap or lid I9 is designed for hinged movement. Normally thisstriking flap or lid is positioned as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in whichposition it is at a slight angle to the surface of the securing portionof the cover, and it is so maintained by the insertion or lock flap I5,which is entered into said pocket 39 when the cover 21 of the folder isclosed, said flap or lid being of a.width to permit its entrance betweenthe end members 38 of the spacing insert and into the slots or openings35 of the match sheets, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus when theparts are assembled and secured in their respective positions, anentrance throat 40 is formed between the upper match sheet and thereinforced part of the securing portion of the casing. By folding theend of the blank shown in Fig. l along the dotted line 26, the end ofthe blank is stiffened, and this stiffened terminal bridges the entrancethroat 40 so as to provide the necessary rigidity for the striking flapor lid I9, which extends therefrom into the pocket 33.

The under-folded terminal or flap I6 of the blank is secured to theoverlying portion of the blank by a wire staple 4|, and the securingportion of the casing, as well as the match sheets and the spacinginsert, are all firmly fastened to the bottom 28 of the folder bystaples 42 passed through all of these parts and clinched on the underside of the cover. 'I'his end of the folder I term the butt end and whenthe folder is closed, the insertion or lock flap I8 is passed throughthe entrance throat 48 and lies-underneath the striking flap or lid I3,which normally is sufficiently resilient along the dotted line 2|, whichmay be considered its hinged area, toassume a position in which itpresents a striking surface to the user, and this flap or lid issupported by the insertion or lock flap I5, which is slightly upset atits free end, as at 43, to engage the end of said flap or lid I8, asclearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus, after having opened up the folderor compact and detached a match from the match sheet, the cover 21 mustbe closed in order to move the striking flap or lid I3 into a positionof use, which it assumes even though it may be at a slight angle to thesurface of the securing portion of the cover.

When opening the cover, the upset or flanged terminal 43 pulls thestriking flap or lid downwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, andin doing so may lift the throat-bridging part of the securing portion.Upon withdrawing the cover from engagement with the striking flap or lidI9, the end of the latter will immediately engage the bottom 28, and byreason of this throat-bridging part of the securing portion having beenflexed under the pulling strain of the cover 21, the' tendency of thethroat-bridging part to assume its normal position will create a bindingeffect against the edge of the flap or lid I3, with the result that thelatter will be held at an acute angle to the outer surface of thesecuring cover, as shown in Fig. 5, thus making it practicallyimpossible to strike a match while the cover remains open.

After tearing or otherwise detaching a match from its match sheet, thecover 21 is closed by inserting the insertion or lock flap I5 thereofthrough the entrance throat 40 leading to the pocket 33, and applyingforce with the cover engaging the striking flap or lid I9 and swingingthe same out of frictional contact with the bot tom 28. During the actof moving the insertion or lock flap I5 into the pocket 38, the strikingflap or lid is swung forwardly and upwardly, while the terminal of thisinsertion or lock flap rides underneath the striking flap until theupset or flanged terminal 43 of said insertion or lock flap passes theend of the striking flap or lid, whereupon said upset or flangedterminal engages the end of the striking flap or lid. Therefore, uponwithdrawing the cover, the said striking flap or lid will again be movedinto retracted position; but during the period of time that the cover isclosed, that portion of the cover entered into the pocket 39 will retainthe striking lid or flap in elevated position so that a match can beeasily ignited by frictional contact with the abrading substance appliedthereto.

It will be noticed that in the blank shown in Fig. l, the striking flapor lid I3 is spaced a short distance from the reinforcing flap I6, butsubstantially the same advantages derived from the constructiondescribed may be obtained from a blank fashioned as shown in Fig. 10.While in this figure a portion of the blank only is shown, the remainderof the blank is exactly as shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 10 atransversely-elongated opening 44 is formed near one end of the blankand the reinforcing flap I6 shown in Fig. l dispensed with. A flap 45,similar to the reinforcing flap, is shown in this blank, and it has oneside coated with the abrasive substance 20. Thus in this instance theflap is converted into a strikingv member or region. The blank is alsofolded along the dotted line 46, and the region 41 between the strikingiiap and the dotted line 46 serves as the reinforcing element of thesecuring portion of the casing or folder.` This blank is folded in thesame manner as that described in Fig. 1 up to the fold line 25, and thatportion, in Fig. 10, extending downwardly from the fold line 25,including the striking flap 45, serves as the securing portion 3|, whichis bent over the spacing insert 36 with the reinforcing element 41 lyingagainst the upper surfaces of the spaced end members 38 of the spacingelement, the striking flap or lid inclining downward slightly. into thepocket 38 and being engaged by the cover 21 in the same manner asprovided for in the main construction.

In the modification shown in Fig. 12, the blank is similar to that shownin Fig. 10, with the exception that the abrasive-covered striking flapand the reinforcing portion 41 are dispensed with.

Associated with this blank is a separate striking element 48 which maybe cut from a roll or sheet of abrasive-covered material, so that nospaced regions need be covered with the abrasive substance in order toprovide a striking surface. In this blank the securing portion 3|extends from the dotted line 25 to the lower end, as shown-in Fig. 12,and it has secured to the region between the transversely elongatedopening 44 therein and the adjacent end edge of the blank, an underlyingportion of the striking member 48 which is stapled thereto as shown at49 in Fig. 13. The abrading side of this member 48 faces upwardly andtherefore a portion of the abrasive material is covered bythe securingportion of the casing or folder. The mode of striking matches andoperating the striking member 48 is exactly as `provided for in thepreceding figures.

, 'I'he modifications shown and Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings illustrateseveral constructions falling within the scope of my invention as setout in the appended claims. Other modiiications may be devised withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention.`

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

i. A match folderv comprising a casing formed of a sheet of materialbent to form a bottom, opposite end walls, a cover hinged to one endwall and a securing portion extending from the other end wall. matchsheets secured within said folder by said securing portion, and astriking lid carried by said securing portion and in striking positionwhensaid cover is'closed; said lid and cover having cooperating meanscausing said lid to be moved into a position of disuse when said coveris being opened.

2. A match folder comprising a casing having a bottom, opposite endwalls, a cover extending inwardly from one of said end walls and asecuring portion extending inwardly from the other end wall. matchsheets fastened between the bottom and said securing portion and havingopenings in their secured ends, and a strlking'lid formed on saidsecuring portion and' hingedly movable within the openings of saidmatchV sheets, said striking lid and cover having engaging portions tocause said lid to be moved under the opening and closing movements ofsaid cover and t0 permit the striking of a match only when said cover isclosed.

3. A match folder comprising a casing formed of a sheet of material bentalong lines disposed transversely to form a bottom, opposite end walls,a cover hingedly applied to one of said end walls and extending inwardlytherefrom and a securing portion extending inwardly from the other endwall, match sheets having slitted portions forming matches and unslittedportions positioned between said securing Vportion and said bottom wall,and a spacing insert between said match sheets and said securingportion, said securing portion being provided with a match strikingelement normally engageable by said cover and accessible to a match tobe ignited by frictional contact therewith when said cover is closed,said striking element being rendered inaccessible upon opening saidcover, and means for fastening said securing portion, spacing insert,match sheets and bottom together.

4. A match folder comprising a casing formed of a sheet of material`bent along lines disposed transversely to form a bottom, opposite endwalls, a cover hingedly applied to one of said end walls and extendinginwardly therefrom and a securing portion extending inwardly from theothery end wall, match sheets having slitted portions forming matchesand unslitted portions provided with transverse openings and positionedon said bottom in superimposed relation. and a spacing insert betweensaid match sheets and said securing portion comprising a transversemember and spaced-apart end members, the space between said end membersbeing alined with said transverse openings so as to form a pocket, saidsecuring portion having a striking lid movable within said pocket andadapted for engagement with the free end of said cover to permit thelatter to move said striking lid into striking position when said coveris closed and into a position of disuse when said cover is open.

5. A match folder formed of sheet material folded to form an enclosurehaving matches secured between a fold thereof, said folder including acover hinged at. one end thereof and having a movable striking flap atits other end normally retained in accessible position by said cover 4toenable a match to be struck thereon when said cover is closed, saidcover having means to engage said flap and move the same intoinaccessible position when opening said cover so as to render said flapinaccessible when said cover is open. A

6. A match folder comprising a casing formed of a sheet of material4folded to form a bottom. opposite end walls and a cover hinged at oneend to one of said end walls and having its other end free, said folderhaving also a match-securing portion at that end opposite the hingedportion of said cover behind which the free end of the latter isretained, said securing portion being provided with a hinged matchstriking flap and said iiap and cover having engaging means whereby saidflap is rendered accessible by said cover i when the latter is closed,and whereby said flap is rendered inaccessiblelby said cover when thelatter is open.

WALTER BEYER.

